Integration of e-mail with instant messaging services

ABSTRACT

A system for instant communication in real time is described wherein it is determined if a user with a given e-mail address is available for on-line messaging. The system takes in a group of e-mail addresses and automatically looks for screen names that are available for instant messaging. Once a screen name is available for online communication, an ion appears next to the screen name. Instant messaging is achieved by pressing the icon. The screen names, the icons and the e-mail addresses all appear in the same window, thereby, integrating traditional e-mail addresses with instant messaging services making real time communication an effective tool.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates generally to software solving communicationproblems. More particularly, the invention relates to an integration oftraditional e-mail with instant messaging systems in real time.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

With the advent of computers, communication has never been easier. Whenfriends and family are online, communication is much easier if invokedin real-time as it happens in instant messaging. Instant messaging usinga computer invokes a real-time communication protocol.

In instant messaging using a real time communication protocol, real-timecommunication is possible if the screen name of users is known beforeone begins instant messaging. The list of screen names of users is notcompletely useful for communication in real-time if the user with thatparticular screen name is not online. This means that for real-timecommunication to be possible, not only should the screen name of usersbe known but also the users should be logged on before one beginsinstant messaging.

The end user usually has an address, referred to as ‘e-mail address’,which is specific to the user for communicating electronically on acomputer or similar other devices. In electronic mail, messages can besent, received, or stored at convenient times. In conventional e-mailsystems, messages are delivered in “envelopes” which are then “opened”by the recipient to be read.

Conventional e-mail systems, operating across local area networkboundaries, do not allow the senders of messages to determine whethertheir messages have been read. As a result, the sender of a messageoften must telephone the recipient to verify that the needed informationhas not only arrived at the recipient's system, but has been reviewed bythe recipient.

Many proprietary e-mail systems, however, allow a sender to check aseparate database to see if a message has been received. Someproprietary e-mail systems include an acknowledgement feature thatallows the recipient's e-mail system to send a notification to thesender when the recipient has opened a message.

In prior art e-mail systems, the sender of an e-mail message has to waita while for a response. In addition, the sender of the message is notsure if they would get an e-mail response. When users are logged into ane-mail, instant messaging in terms of AOL Instant Messenger is possible.America Online, Inc. of AOL Time Warner Inc. (AOL) pioneered thetechnology of instant messaging using a real time communicationprotocol.

In AOL Instant Messenger service, for example, the user could use anynumber of screen names while being logged into an e-mail address andcommunicate with other users instantly. However, for instantcommunication to be possible, one has to look up manually the screenname that is actually online currently for the associated e-mail addressof the other users. The problem with that is because there could be morethan one screen name associated with a single e-mail address, it becomesa difficult task to accomplish instant online messaging service manuallywith many active screen names.

In prior art systems, such as AOL's Mail Contacts Online, one has to bea member to make use of Instant Messaging service. Usually, suchmemberships entail a fee paid by the customer for using such services.In Mail Contacts Online service, the graphics window shows (FIG. 1) adivided window with e-mail communication window separate from theinstant messaging window. The instant messaging window shows a buddylist with a list of screen names taken from the adjacent e-mail windowand only those screen names that are available for instant messaging.

The difficulty with prior art systems is that they are not universallyavailable unless the user requests membership to use the e-mail and/orInstant Messaging and pays a membership fee. With the availability ofe-mail access to non-AOL members, the Instant Messaging service of priorart systems is limited in terms of number of screen names that areavailable in the buddy list. “Instant Messaging” is an AOL TM, so it isused herein to refer to “AOL Instant Messenger” for AOL members.

Given the number of Instant Messaging type services currently available,there is a need for integrating Instant Messaging services to e-mailservices such that a user with access to any e-mail service, not limitedto AOL member services, can use AOL's free Instant Messaging serviceand, thereby, achieve communication in real-time.

What is needed, therefore, is a generic service where anyone with accessto an e-mail and instant messaging service can chat with anyone elseinstantly. The generic services should allow a graphic window withe-mail and instant messaging services to go simultaneously and smoothlyso that the instant messaging is realized instantly in real time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention provides a mechanism for the automatic integration oftraditional e-mail with instant messaging services such that instantcommunication is provided in real-time. In one embodiment of theinvention, the system has a single generic graphics window with bothe-mail addresses and on-line chat addresses next to it so that anyonewith access to the e-mail address could start the AOL's free instantmessaging service instantly. The active screen names that are availablefor instant messaging would have an icon next to the screen name, suchthat instant messaging is achieved by pressing the icon as it appearsnext to the screen name.

In the particular embodiment of the invention, the system takes in agroup of e-mail addresses and makes a request for a list of screen namesfrom the instant messaging service associated with that e-mail address.The system then automatically verifies each screen name that isavailable for online communication. Once a particular screen name isavailable for instant communication, the system correlates that screenname to that particular e-mail address. An icon appears next to thescreen name that is available for online instant messaging. Instantmessaging is accomplished by pressing the icon as it appears next to theactive screen name.

In one embodiment, the system sets up a list of screen names fortracking their online presence into a buddy list. In yet anotherembodiment, the system is associated with a user interface (UI) thatprevents others from knowing the person's screen name. In yet anotherembodiment, the system allows a manual search when the screen name isnot currently used but still associated with the same e-mail addresses.

Next, the system enquires of the user associated with that particularscreen name for online communication. The recipient can choose tocommunicate with the user by clicking the icon associated with thescreen name that is currently available for instant communication. Thus,the system establishes instant messaging in real time.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a graphic representation of a prior art approach to indicatingseparate windows for e-mail addresses and instant messagingrespectively;

FIG. 1A is a representative block diagram of the elements of a preferredembodiment of the invention for integrating traditional e-mail withinstant messaging services for the purpose of providing communication inreal-time;

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing a mechanism for enabling an automaticreal-time communication via e-mail according to this invention;

FIG. 3 is a flow chart of another embodiment of the invention showing amechanism for enabling availability of a manual option for real timecommunication;

FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing a mechanism for inviting the user forinstant communication to establish real-time communication according tothe invention; and

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing a mechanism for enabling a list of screennames, ex. a buddy list for instant messaging any time according to analternative embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In commercially available electronic mail systems today, senders areable to send messages over a variety of networks such as local areanetworks, wide area networks, Internet, wireless networks, and the like.This does not, however, mean senders of the message would get an e-mailresponse instantly.

When users are logged into an electronic mail or e-mail, instantmessaging is possible if the recipient's screen name and e-mail addressare known. Because users could use any number of screen names whilebeing logged into an e-mail, this communication is, however, not instantcommunication in real-time. More often than not, it takes manually for auser to retrieve the screen name that is associated with that e-mailaddress and that is currently being used for on-line communication.

This invention (FIG. 1A) provides a system for automatic integration1000 of traditional e-mail with instant messaging service, moreparticularly, AOL's free Instant Messaging service for the purpose ofproviding communication in real-time. The invention comprises a systemthat takes in a group of e-mail addresses and makes a request for a listof screen names associated with that e-mail address from the instantmessaging service. The system is associated with a user interface (UI)that protects the user's screen name if the user is not interested inon-line communication (represented in FIG. 1A as OFF) and prefers to notmake his screen name available to recipients of his messages. When theuser screen name is not available to the system, the system makes amanual search 200 for the screen names that are associated with thate-mail address. The problem with a manual search 200 using onlyknowledge of available e-mail addresses is that when a user manuallydoes a search for screen names, there is no contextual information toindicate if the person is actually online or which screen name is beingused. Because this becomes tedious, an invitation 300 is sent to theuser for participation in on-line communication and a request for screenname applicable and used with that e-mail address.

Often the user is interested in on-line communication and would not mindif the screen names were available for on-line messaging. This is shownsymbolically as an ‘ON’ state on user interface (UI) in FIG. 1A and theinvention allows for automatic search 100. The system then automatically100 verifies each screen name that is available for onlinecommunication. Once a particular screen name is available, the systemthen correlates that screen name to that particular e-mail address. Inone embodiment, the system periodically tracks a list of screen namesfor tracking their online presence and puts them into a buddy list 400.

An online real-time communication is established once the icon 500 isactivated next to the screen name for instant messaging. The recipientcan choose to communicate to the user by clicking on the icon associatedwith the screen name where the user is currently available for instantcommunication. Thus, the invention establishes instant messaging in realtime.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing a mechanism for enabling instantcommunication using an automatic 100 (FIG. 1A) real-time communicationvia e-mail. When the user interface is enabled 10 (or is ON as in FIG.1A), the method involves taking in a group of e-mail addresses 20 andmaking a request for a list of screen names from an instant messagingservice associated with that e-mail addresses 30. An automaticverification of screen names available for real-time communication 50 isperformed for each individual screen name. If there is a screen nameavailable for instant messaging, the system correlates the screen namesavailable for that particular e-mail address 60 and establishesreal-time communication 70 by pressing an icon 500 (FIG. 1A) with thatparticular screen name. If there is no screen name available for instantmessaging, the system cannot correlate the screen name with thatparticular e-mail address and simply continues the search for the nextavailable screen name 40 for real-time messaging. When real-timecommunication is established using the described automatic search 50,the system is said to have accomplished it's task and comes to a stop80.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing a mechanism for enabling real-timecommunication using a manual 200 (FIG. 1A) search for the screen name.When the user interface is not enabled 110 (or is OFF as in FIG. 1A),the method involves taking in a group of e-mail addresses 120 and makinga list of screen names by manually looking for screen names 130associated with that e-mail address and establishing instant messaging140 if screen name is available. When real-time communication isestablished using the described manual search 130, the system thenassociates an icon (refer to 500 in FIG. 1A) 150 with the screen namethat is available for instant messaging. The system is said to haveaccomplished its task and comes to a stop 150.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing another embodiment of the invention,which comprises, inviting the user for instant communication andrequesting the user for screen name for real-time communication when theuser interface (UI) is not enabled 210 (OFF in FIG. 1A). This embodimentis useful in prompting the user for real-time communication when theuser does not wish to disclose his screen name to all individuals on theinternet. The system takes in select group of e-mail addresses 220,manually tests for screen names available for instant messaging 230. Ifscreen name is available 240 for instant messaging, the icon 500 (FIG.1A) is pressed and instant messaging is established.

If the screen name is not available for instant messaging, then thesystem invites the user for instant communication 250 by sending anelectronic mail or e-mail. If the invitation is accepted 270, then thesystem obtains the user's screen name 280, and establishes a real-timecommunication 290 when the icon 500 (FIG. 1A) is pressed. The systemfunction is completed as real-time communication is established andcomes to a stop 300 or if the invitation is not accepted 260.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing another embodiment of the invention,which comprises enabling a list of screen names into a list, referred toas buddy list for instant messaging any time. In this embodiment, thesystem sets up a list of screen names for tracking their online presenceinto a buddy list. The system does an automatic look up of screen names330 when the user interface is enabled (ON in FIG. 1A) given a list ofe-mail addresses 320. It then verifies if the available screen name isassociated with that particular e-mail address and available forreal-time communication.

If it is not available 350, it looks back at it's list of screen namesand goes to the next one until one is found that is available forinstant messaging. If the system does find the screen name for thate-mail address available for instant messaging, it makes a buddy list ofe-mail address with their associated screen names 360. The buddy list isperiodically tested for online presence 370 and updated for establishingreal-time communication 390 or returned 380 for the next availablescreen name for that e-mail address. When real-time communication isestablished, the icon 500 is pressed for communication with theindividual whose screen name is displayed and the process ends 395 withsatisfactory completion.

Although the invention is described herein with reference to thepreferred embodiment, one skilled in the art will readily appreciatethat other applications may be substituted for those set forth hereinwithout departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.Accordingly, the invention should only be limited by the Claims includedbelow.

1. A computer implementation method for instant communication, comprising the steps of: receiving in a group of e-mail addresses of an electronic mail system; making a request for a list of screen names from an instant messaging service, wherein said screen names of said instant messaging service associated with said e-mail addresses of said electronic mail system; automatically verifying screen names that are available for real-time communication; correlating said screen names to said e-mail addresses; within said electronic mail system, establishing an icon next to said screen names available for real-time communication; and within said electronic mail system, establishing instant messaging real-time communication by selecting said icon associated with said screen name.
 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of manually verifying screen names associated with said e-mail addresses.
 3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the steps of manually verifying screen names associated with said e-mail addresses that are available for real-time communication.
 4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of making a list of said screen names associated with a particular e-mail address.
 5. A computer implemented method for updating an email recipient of available screen names for instant messaging communication, comprising the steps of: receiving in a group of user e-mail addresses; making a request for a list of user screen names from an instant messaging service associated with said user e-mail addresses; automatically verifying available user screen names that are available for real-time communication; correlating said available user screen names to said user e-mail addresses; making a list of said user e-mail addresses with their associated available user screen names; updating said list periodically for establishing said real-time communication; and establishing said instant messaging communication instantly by the email recipient pressing, within an electronic mail system, an icon associated with a user's screen name, said user's screen name associated with an e-mail address of said user e-mail addresses.
 6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of manually verifying screen names associated with said e-mail addresses for communication at a later time.
 7. A computer implemented method for instant communication, comprising the steps of: receiving a group of e-mail addresses in an electronic mail system; identifying screen names that are available for real-time instant message communication; correlating said identified screen names to said e-mail addresses; establishing icons, within said electronic mail system, next to said e-mail addresses correlated with said identified screen names available for real-time instant message communication; and establishing said real-time communication responsive to selection of said icons associated with said screen names.
 8. The method of claim 7, identifying the step comprising automatically verifying screen names associated with said e-mail addresses.
 9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of making a list of said screen names associated with a particular e-mail address.
 10. The method of claim 7, identifying the steps comprising manually verifying screen names associated with said e-mail addresses that are available for real-time communication.
 11. A computer implemented method for updating a recipient of available screen names for instant communication, comprising the steps of: receiving in a group of e-mail addresses; identifying screen names that are available for real-time communication; correlating said identified screen names to said e-mail addresses; making a list of e-mail addresses with their correlated screen names; repeatedly updating said list of e-mail addresses and correlated screen names as to availability for real-time communication displaying in an electronic mail system graphic window all of: said list of e-mail addresses, said correlated screen names, and an availability icon associated with each of said screen names; and establishing said instant communication responsive to selection, in said electronic mail system graphic window, of an icon associated with a user's screen name.
 12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of manually verifying screen names associated with said e-mail addresses for communication at a later time. 